Saturday, 1 April 2017

Experiencing Zip World! (North Wales)

If you've ever ventured to North Wales then you'll know it's surrounded by stunning scenery, mountains with peaks covered in snow, lakes and a lot of sheep. More recently it's become known for the Zip World adventure park which is home to the worlds' fastest zip line and the longest in Europe. However, the fun doesn't stop at the mile long zip line which is what I went to discover...

Kicking our day off with a flying start (literally), we got suited and booted at the Zip World base in Bethesda and made our way up the quarry for our first zip line of the day - to prepare you for Velocity, Zip World made a smaller and less terrifying zip line which is still a lot of fun. While that one was pretty awesome, we knew that what lay ahead of us was far more exciting. Up we went in a little red truck through the old quarry, until eventually we got to the top... The views were spectacular and are worth a visit even if you can't stomach the zip wire (check out their quarry tour if that sounds more up your street). We waited in line as we watched other people from our group get belted up and set off for the ride, as our time came nearer we both got pretty nervous, but nevertheless we faced our fear and did it! It was an incredible experience with breathtaking views and a huge adrenalin rush. View the slowed down footage of Velocity below:

The tree top nets are fun for the whole family, as they can be enjoyed from ages 3 and up. The nets are popular with groups, especially parties, and it's easy to see why. The suspended nets wind through 250m of North Wales woodland and have bouncy nets, ball-pits and slides along the way, leaving you to find your way however you please (bounce, hop, skip or jump!) You don't need a harness for this adventure as you're surrounded by 3m high walls of netting to keep you and your loved ones safe as you explore. There's also designated areas for young ones and a couple of 'cabin' style lookouts to chill in. We had fun playing with the balls and rolling around while bird watching in the surrounding trees.

Zip Safari opened in March 2016 and it includes 23 zip lines and 6 other rope courses within the forest of Betws-y-Coed. The highest point of the adventure is 60ft, and the total length is 565m, which takes about two hours to complete. Zip Safari had to be my personal favourite as it was a nice mix of zip lines, view-seeing and challenges. The rope courses include things like log walking (watch my video to see more) however if you don't fancy pushing yourself too much then there's 'easier' routes you can take. During this adventure you'll reach a bigger platform which is ideal for a selfie as it has a stunning view!

Eating at Zip World

Between going on the Tree Top Nets and Zip Safari, we fuelled up at the cafe they have on site. I ordered a panini while my boyfriend went for a cheese toastie! The value for money was fantastic, the service was brilliant and the food was delicious!

For those only going to their Velocity site, they have a burger van next to reception, but they are currently developing a resturant and food area which should be fantastic once it's finished.

New to Zip World next month is their Fforest coaster, this will give you the opportunity to control your speed as you rocket through 1km of woodland scenery and the surrounding mountains. The all weather ride reaches speeds of up to 25mph and includes 10 bends that'll keep you on your toes (or rather on your seat - hopefully!) This will be a fun new addition to their site which is suitable for ages 3 to 93!